Method and means for eliminating smog



2, 1966 c. J. THOMPSON 3,263,412

METHOD AND MEANS FOR ELIMINATING SMOG Filed Dec. 28, 1962 FIG. 2

FIG. 3

34 INVEN TOR.

CARL I THOMPSON 7' TORNEV United States Patent l 3,263,412 METHOD AND MEANS FOR ELIMINATING SMOG Carl J. Thompson, Racine, Wis, assignor of one-third to William R. Stroemer and one-third to Arthur J. Hansmann, both of Racine, Wis.

Filed Dec. 28, 1962, Ser. No. 248,142 2 Claims. (Cl. 6030) This invention relates to a smog elim'mator for an automobile engine or the like.

More particularly, this invention provides a method and means for eliminating smog normally produced by a gasoline type of engine. The means or apparatus employed in this invention is an after-burner which is in gasfiow communication with the exhaust manifold of the engine, and also the exhaust gases of the crankcase are directed into the after-burner for mixture with the manifold vapors so that the mixture can be burned in the afterburner to eliminate the products of the gasoline engine where the products are of the well-known smog type, such as carbon monoxide, hexane, and the like.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved method and means for eliminating smog in a gasoline engine. In accomplishing this particular object, it is now recognized that smog is emitted from both the engine exhaust system and the crankcase of the engine. Accordingly, both of the exhausts are directed to an afterburner where they are burned and then exhausted in a harmless condition.

Another object of this invention is to provide a positive means and method for both evacuating the engine exhaust and crankcase vapors into a combustion chamber and positively mixing the two in the chamber, and then applying a combustion temperature to the mixture for igniting same.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a combustible mixture of both engine exhaust and crankcase vapors, and also of fresh air, and to apply a heat thereto such that the mixture of all three is in a condition and at a temperature so that it will burn sufliciently to eliminate smog-producing products.

It will therefore be understood that it is recognized that smog is emitted from both the engine exhaust and the crankcase vapor, and the latter contains combustible gasoline, and both exhausts are therefore directed into a chamber along with fresh air, and they are then of course heated to a burning temperature in an expansion chamber so that they can be both adequately mixed and evacuated from the chamber after they are burned to a harmless condition.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an engine having a preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the embodiment of the after-burner shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

The drawing-s of course show the apparatus used in this invention, and description of the apparatus will also include a description of the method so that both the method and means will be disclosed hereinafter. The reference numeral designates a conventional type of gasoline engine having an exhaust manifold 11 suitably bolted to one side of the engine, and a crankcase vapor pipe 12 is also attached to the engine 10 and extends therebelow. It is also conventional to have a connecting pipe 13 extending between the manifold 11 and the conventional exhaust mufiier (not shown). The particular contribution of this invention relates to the after-burner generally designated 14 and shown disposed between the exhaust manifold 11 "ice and the connecting pipe 13. Of course the manifold 11 and pipe 13 have respective flanges 16 and 17 and also the after-burner 14' has its flanges 18 and 19 respectively bolted to the manifold and connecting pipe flanges. Thus FIG. 2 clearly shows the after-burner 14 to be in gas-flow communication with the parts just mentioned, and a stud 21 is shown to connect the flanges 16 and 18 together, and of course other studs would be employed for the obvious connection.

FIG. 1 further shows that a gas pump 22 is connected to the crankcase pipe 12 through a connecting hose or the like 23, and a fresh air inlet or connecting pipe 24 is also connected to the pump 22. A connecting pipe 26 is connected to the pump 22 to receive the discharge of the pump 22, and the pipe 26 connects to the inlet pipe 27 on the after-burner 14. In this manner, the engine exhaust from the manifold 11 and the vapor from the crankcase pipe 12 and also fresh air are moved. into the afterbu-rner 14 for mixture and burning as hereinafter described.

FIG. 2 shows the inlet pipe 27 is in flow communication with an annulus 28 defined by a circular wall 29 and a radially, inwardly spaced circular wall 31, both in the after-burner 14. Also, the after-burner has a bore 32 which is indirect gas-flow communication with the outlet end of the exhaust manifold 11, and the bore extends through the housing. The bore 32 is a gas passageway, and FIG. 2 shows that its cross-sectional area is at least as large as that of the manifold 11 throughout the length of the passageway 32. Thus the exhaust gases flowing through the opening or bore 32 are mixed with the fresh air and vapor gases from the crankcase pipe 12, which flow as indicated by the arrows A. The mixture of the three gases thus enters an expansion chamber designated 3 3, and defined by the circular housing 34 of the after-burner 14. The gases are thus thoroughly mixed in the expansion chamber 33, and it will be further noted that since the after-burner 14 is disposed contiguous to the outlet of the manifold 11, the temperature of the exhaust from the manifold 11 is sufficiently high to cause combustion of the gases in the chamber 33. These burnt gases are then of course exhausted through the bore 36 of the after-burner, and into the connecting pipe 13 to be removed from the automobile in the usual manner.

FIGS. 2 and 3 also show grid work of heating elements preferably consisting of tungsten wires 37 which extend across the chamber 33, and of course are in the path of the flow of the gases through the exhaust system, and thus the wires are heated by the gases, and they will of course retain the heat of the gas so that, for instance, during periods of momentary engine deceleration, the temperature in the chamber 33 will still be adequate to cause the combustion of the exhaust gases as desired. Also, the wires 37 are of course in physical contact with the walls of the after-burner 14, and thus the wires 37 are heated by conduction, as well as by convection, and therefore they are maintained at an elevated temperature. Still further, a heating plug or spark plug 38 is mounted on the after-burner wall 34 to present its heating element 39 to the interior of the chamber 33, and further heat the chamber to provide the desired temperature for combustion of the exhaust gases. Thus it will be understood that the spark plug 38 is in continuous and constant operation whenever the engine ignition is in a closed or operating position so that continuous and uninterrupted additional heat is applied to the chamber 33 to insure burning or the exhaust gases therein. Thus a wire 41 is fragmentarily shown, and it will of course extend from the electrical connection 42 of the spark plug 38 to a point where it is energized by the electrical system of the automobile. An electrical vibrator 4 3 is. connected to the wire 41 by its wire 44 to boost the current to the plug 38. The auto ignition switch 46 is in electrical series with the vibrator 43, and the conventional automobile battery 47 energizes the entire system. The spark plug 38 provides constant heat for the chamber 33 so that the combustible gas therein will be ignited, and the entire exhaust system will be desirably heated to combat corrosion of the pipes and muflier by moistur which settles in a cold exhaust means. Thus, it has been found that the combustible mixture from both the crankcase and the engine exhaust can be ignited to make the exhaust system hot, as desired.

In summary, it will therefore be understood that the method and means of this invention provides for the mixing of the combustible crankcase vapor with the engine exhaust in a chamber which is located at the hottest point available in the exhaust system, namely immediately at the outlet of the exhaust manifold, and also fresh air is added to the mixture and the fresh air and the crankcase vapor are pumped with of course some pressure into the combustion chamber to over-come any back pressure or resisting pressure in the chamber so that the entire mixture will be put int-o the combustion chamber and Well mixed therein, and finally the chamber is maintained at a heat both because of its location and because of the external heating element so that deceleration will not cause the heat to be lost.

While a specific embodiment and method of this invention has been shown and described, it should be obvious that certain changes could be made therein and the invention therefore should be determined only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for eliminating smog from an engine of the type having an exhaust manifold and a crankcase which emits vapors, comprising a housing mounted on said exhaust manifold in gas-flow communication with and at the outlet of said exhaust manifold for receiving the engine exhaust gases directly from said exhaust manifold and with said housing having a passageway for passing said gases therethrough, said housing passageway being of a cross-sectional gas-flow area at least as large as that of said exhaust manifold throughout said housing for the unrestricted flow of gases through said housint a pump having a fresh air inlet, first conduit means connected between said pump and said crankcase and being completely enclosed to direct all the crankcase vapors into said pump, second conduit means connected between said pump and said housing at a selected location on the latter for directing the air and said vapors from said pump and into said housing, and heating means disposed in said housing at a location downstream from said selected location for burning all said gases and said vapors in said housing.

2. A device for eliminating smog from an engine of the type having an exhaust manifold and a mufiler and a connecting pipe between said manifold and said mufiler and with said engine having a crankcase which emits vapors, comprising a housing mounted intermediate said exhaust manifold and said connecting pipe in a straightline gas-flow communication with said exhaust manifold for receiving exhaust gases from said exhaust manifold and with said housing having a passageway of a cross sectional area as large as that of said manifold for unrestricted flow of exhaust gases into said housing, a pump and completely enclosed conduit means connected between said pump and both said crankcase and said housing for pumping all the emitted vapors into said housing for mixing with the exhaust gases from said exhaust manifold and burning the mixture of said gases and said vapors in said housing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,851,852 9/1958 Cornelius 3O 3,036,897 5/1962 Uphoif 60-30 X 3,124,930 3/1964 Powers 60-30 MARK NEWMAN, Primary Examiner.

JULIUS E. WEST, EDGAR W. GEOGHEGAN,

Examiners.

N. E. ABRAMS, A. s. RosEN, Assi'smn Examiners. 

2. A DEVICE FOR ELIMINATING SMOG FROM AN ENGINE OF THE TYPE HAVING AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND A MUFFLER AND A CONNECTING PIPE BETWEEN SAID MANIFOLD AND SAID MUFFLER AND WITH SAID ENGINE HAVING A CRANKCASE WHICH EMITS VAPORS, COMPRISING A HOUSING MOUNTED INTERMEDIATE SAID EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND SAID CONNECTING PIPE IN A STRAIGHTLINE GAS-FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID EXHAUST MANIFOLD FOR RECEIVING EXHAUST GASES FROM SAID EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND WITH SAID HOUSING HAVING A PASSAGEWAY OF A CROSSSECTIONAL AREA AS LARGE AS THAT OF SAID MANIFOLD FOR UNRESTRICTED FLOW OF EXHAUST GASES INTO SAID HOUSING, A PUMP AND COMPLETELY ENCLOSED CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID PUMP AND BOTH SAID CRANKCASE AND SAID HOUSING FOR PUMPING ALL THE EMITTED VAPORS INTO SAID HOUSING FOR MIXING WITH THE EXHAUST GASES FROM SAID EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND BURNING THE MIXTURE OF SAID GASES AND SAID VAPORS IN SAID HOUSING. 